DS 800 is expensive to make, and due to low volume production, it is mainly out of stock and lead time is several weeks.

I believe that product like that should be in stock with price tag around $500. Now, after finding out about kickstarter platform, I have designed and built proto of even lower cost, small footprint oscilloscope, while keeping the key performance intact.

Picture below shows working proto od DS100 scope with one wire placed to fix one schematics error. The wire will not be on the final production unit.The production unit will have slightly different and cleaner look.

DS100 scope under the hood

I have also designed several small accessories to this scope and they will be offered as rewards. Picture below shows 4.4 GHz synthesizer based on ADF4350. We will use newer and better performing ADF4351 for production.

This simple hardware comes with a simple VB application, and it is great to be used for scope time base verification and calibration, but also can be used as stimulus for various test in combination with DS100 scope.

4.4 GHz Synthesizer based on ADF4350

The frequency divider shown below is useful to divide high frequency to extended trigger input frequency range or it can be used to extend frequency range of the frequency counter.

12 GHz Frequency divider by 8

The image below shows resistive power divider made of SMT 15 GHz power divider, a small PCB, and 3 SMA connectors. This is very useful hardware whenever the high frequency signal have to be split in 2 equal power outputs.One good example is dividing one signal to generate one signal for trigger and one for input oscilloscope channels.

RF Power Divider

Picture below shows 35 ps rise time edge generator, based on ONET8501. This fast edge can be used as stimulus for impedance measurement using TDR method. Production unit will have a clean PCB with green solder mask.

First one is real simple, to reduce cost of any product, the production quantity must be significant. My goal is to build at least 500 units.

Second reason is about building the momentum; it is about giving a new life to this product; it is about making this product a bigger, more exciting adventure.

Developing this product was an exciting, challenging and fun adventure. Now, I invite you to support this project and soon you will have a nice tool for exploring fun world of high speed circuitry.

Thanks For Your Support!

Darwin Sabanovic

Risks and challenges

Designing analog and digital circuitry operating at several GHz and controlling timing with picosecond resolution is challenging project, but this phase was over about 3 years ago, and since then i have designed several versions of pretty much the same product.
This product is basically just a lower cost flavor of something already designed an tested in filed.

The only significant challenge I may have is the one I would actually love to have, and it is taking care of production and shipment of a high qty of products as rewards.

The plan is to use a Contract Manufacturer based in USA (4pcb, screaming circuit...etc) to produce and inspect the boards.
I will test and calibrate every board in case that the quantities are up to 300.
In case of greater quantities, I will make automated test and calibration system and test procedure, and contract task of testing and shipping to the the CM service provider in USA.
The majority of components will come from qualified suppliers like Digi Key and Mouser.

I can handle this project by myself with collaboration of Electronics Contract Manufacturer.
However, I can also engage few coworkers (engineers) and technicians to help me on a part time base, in case that support exceeds all of my expectations.

FAQ

Yes, it is in this case, where 10 GHz signal travels very short distances of less then 0.5 inch.
Using higher RF quality material will significantly increase the cost, but difference in performance would be hardly noticeable.

By design, the differential transmission lines have a strong coupling to inner layer ground, but very weak coupling to top layer copper plane.
Adding via stitching would limit the number of traces which can be routed under the transmission lines.
This would increase the board size and cost, while improvements to signal integrity would be minimal.
It is all about cost versus performance analyses

To save money for more important items, like front end chips, which would cost about $80 per product, assuming that project is successful and I can buy at least few hundred pieces.
There are few other ECL flip flops and one delay line used in this product which is way more expensive then typical CMOS logic.
The box costs about $2 and it does not contribute much to the key performance

Rewards

Pledge $15 or more

ADF 4350 based synthesizer bare board PCB and software kit only.
This is for supporters who can buy parts and solder them on the board and test the assembled unit. No oscilloscope is offered as kit.

Estimated delivery:May 2014

Ships anywhere in the world

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Pledge $25 or more

2 backers

This is a bare boards collection containing 4.4 GHz synthesizer, one Frequency divider, 2 power dividers and one edge generator based on onet 8501.
This is ideal kit for users who can buy parts and assemble boards, but have not time to layout the pcbs.
No oscilloscopes is offered as a kit.

Estimated delivery:May 2014

Ships anywhere in the world

You selected

Pledge $79 or more

1 backer

Assembled 4.4 GHz synthesizer with software,no enclosure, no cables

Estimated delivery:Apr 2014

Ships anywhere in the world

You selected

Pledge $109 or more

Pledge $120 or more

1 backer

This is a bare boards plus all components kit collection containing one 4.4 GHz synthesizer, one Frequency divider, 2 power dividers and one edge generator based on onet 8501. This is ideal kit for users who can assemble boards, but have not time to layout the pcbs. No oscilloscopes is offered as a kit.

Pledge $220 or more

0 backers

This is dual channel, 4GHz version, DC coupled inputs. Maximum input voltage +/-2V(DC+AC)
USB cable and 5VDC power are supplied.
No probes are supplied.
This scope can measure repeatable signals including sine, square, pulses, repeatable patterns when pattern trigger source is available, and eye diagram width and height when triggered on data.
The eye diagram can not be reconstructed if triggered on clock.
Please visit ibzelectronics.com for more technical details.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2014

Ships anywhere in the world

You selected

Pledge $300 or more

6 backers

This is dual channel, 10 GHz minimum (12 GHz typical) version, DC coupled inputs. Maximum input voltage +/-1VDC, Maximum input 1.5 Vpp
USB cable and 5 VDC power are supplied.
No probes are supplied.
This scope can measure repeatable signals including sine, square, pulses, repeatable patterns when pattern trigger source is available, and eye diagram width and height when triggered on data.
The eye diagram can not be reconstructed if triggered on clock.
Please visit ibzelectronics.com for more technical details.